Are You Worried About Being Replaced by AI?

OpenAI is being used for more and more things these days, it isn’t surprising that some are even turning to it for therapy. I will admit, the first time I heard about this I was rather surprised, however, the more time I’ve had to think about it the more I’ve been questioning the possibility. If you are concerned that you may be replaced by AI one day, you aren’t alone.

Why Are People Using AI for Therapy? 

It is no secret that mental health treatment is not always easy to access. There can be a lot of barriers when it comes to getting therapy when you need it. Many are deterred by long wait lists, high costs, lack of providers etc. Rather than trying to overcome barriers some have started to turn to AI for support. 

Counseling can be a lot of work. As a therapist you know as well as I do that this work can be difficult but pays off in the long run. In therapy sometimes things get worse before they get better though we all know it can, and often will, get better. With AI there is little challenging and even excessive amounts of validation. Validation can be great, but not when it is constant and often misguided.

Can This Be Dangerous

More and more cases are emerging where ChatGPT has encouraged folks to do dangerous, unhealthy things. When the algorithm is designed to keep you coming back it can agree with some rather unhealthy beliefs and encourage even worse behaviors. 

Psychiatric Times has shared an article outlining how OpenAI has admited that ChatGPT causes psychiatric harm.  A real human therapist can provide constructive feedback, pick up on subtleties, assess for risk, provide authentic connection and so much more. A bot simply cannot.

We Aren’t Going Anywhere

While OpenAI has its uses, therapy is not one of them. In order for therapy to be effective it needs to involve human connection. It takes skill and knowledge to be an effective counselor, a bot does not have this capability and using it as such can be very dangerous. 

There is a lot more to learn in the ever evolving field and ongoing growth is important. Keep learning and stay curious about AI and its impact on our field. 

Carolina Counseling Services is dedicated to providing effective counseling and psychiatric medication management to our community. We contract with skilled, effective therapists and psychiatric professionals. 

If you are a licensed Clinical Social Worker, Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Marriage and Family Therapist or Psychologist in North Carolina, send your cover letter and resume to the following email: Applicants@CarolinaCounselingServices.com. We are also actively contracting with licensed Psychiatrists, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners and Psychiatric Physician Assistants. We can’t wait to hear from you!